REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Controversy surrounds the iconic Dolle's Candyland sign in Rehoboth Beach, as the candy store prepares to move to it's new location.
Owner Tom Ibach says he wants the sign to move with the business, "I own the sign, and I don't want to keep it here if I don't have a Dolle's business here."
The sign towers over the Rehoboth boardwalk for all to see, but Mayor Stan Mills tells WBOC the sign's size is precisely the problem: the huge orange landmark is against city code.
If Ibach wants to move the sign to his new location, he has to get special permission.
The people of Rehoboth have come to love the Dolle's sign, and many hope it will be where it is for years to come.
"I think it's an important part of our brand and who we are, and I would love to see it stay in some place. I would like to see it stay on the boardwalk there where people have been used to seeing it," said Gary Glass, a member of Rehoboth's Boardwalk and Beach Committee.
Locals have started a petition to keep the landmark where it is by making it a historical site. So far, almost 5,000 people have signed it.
The Rehoboth Boardwalk and Beach Committee discussed moving the sign to a more neutral location, like the iconic Rehoboth Bandstand.
Member Jimmy Horty asked in their meeting Monday, "The city owns the bandstand area around there, is there anyway that, if for some reason it can't stay where it is, is there any way we could incorporate it somewhere within the bandstand area?"
But others say they will support the owner's wishes.
"Everybody's gonna have their say at the end of the day, but the ultimate decision is gonna be the owner. He's gonna want to do what's best for him, whether it's more money or less money, he's the one that needs to choose at the end," said Zachary Whittaker, who grew up in Delaware.
Dolle's lease expires at the end of January. Whether the sign will stay in place or move somewhere else will ultimately be up to Ibach.
Mayor Mills said the city is ready to work with him when he makes that final decision.
